Stop the insanity! 3.3 YPC is nothing to celebrate

Maybe I’m just anxious ahead of the game tomorrow, but I’m already sick of hearing and reading things like, “if we ran like we did last week,” as if Shaun running 20 times for 65 yards is a sign of strength.

This is the kind of thing that drives me up a wall with the media. One person says something, and then everyone repeats it like sheep until it’s essentially accepted as fact. Think objectively folks!

Did we have our second-best rushing game last week in terms of total yards? Yep. Did we convert a 3rd and short? Absolutely (and with flare). Should we start counting on the run and returning to our balanced offense? No way. NO WAY. The celebration of last week’s running attack is much more about how crappy our running game has been than it is about a return to past glory.

Here’s some perspective:

– Shaun’s worst game in 2005 was in Game 7 against the Cowboys when he rushed 21 times for 61 yards and a 2.9 YPC. (I am not including the games against Philly and GB since he barely played in either). That’s not to say he needs to match his MVP season, but c’mon, those are sorry numbers in any season.

– After Shaun’s first two runs in the first half (16 yarder and the TD), he averaged under 2 YPC through the first half. I don’t have the exact numbers, but I know that’s the case.

– Other than his 45 yard run, Mo averaged 4.7 YPC on his other four carries.

“Don’t be such a stick in the mud,” you say. I’m not looking for a running game that can’t be dependable and repeatable. I’d take a game where we were able to consistently get 3-5 yards with no long gains over one where we get nothing for the whole game except for a handful of big gainers.

Besides the fact that I hate people doing the whole group think thing in the media, I think it’s a mistake to move away from our pass first offense. It was right. It played to this team’s strengths. It’s also what others in the league are doing with great success.

The only legit reason we may have to reign it in is if Hass is more hurt than we know, or Holmgren is concerned about protection based on injuries to the offensive line.